This January 2014 newsletter starts our 6th year of sending out our monthly publication. Thank you for all of the material that you have shared with us to make this possible. We hope you enjoy the newsletter as much as we enjoy compiling stories about some really neat people on Route 66.

Finland is at the top of the list of the most coffee consuming countries per capita in the world. Norway is number two, Iceland number three and Denmark holds a nice position as number four among the most coffee drinking countries. Since all four of the top coffee-consuming countries are in Scandanavia, their cold weather may be a factor.

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Joahanna and Agnar, from Iceland, represent two of the many Scandanavian visitors on Route 66.

On January 1st, 1962 the first Navy SEAL teams were commissioned. The United States Navy's Sea, Air, Land Teams, commonly known as the Navy SEALs, are the U.S. Navy's principal special operations force and apart of the Naval Special Warfare Command and United States Special Operations Command.

"SEAL" is always capitalized in reference to members of the Naval Special Warfare community. The acronym is derived from their capacity tooperate at sea, in the air, and on land. SEALs are members of the United States Navy.

News from 2014 Route 66 International Festival
According to one of the organizers of the 2014 festival, Jim Hinkley:
David Heward of Holbrook, the owner of an electric GEM car, was so intrigued that the festival would include a focus on electric vehicles that he launched the Route 66 Electric Car Club, an organization that will be attending the event.

Make plans for August 14 - 16, 2014 in Kingman, Arizona for this annual event, the Route 66 Festival.

Pictured is Dries Bessels, Netherlands Route 66 Association, volunteering his time and energy to help distribute to 650 people a free 3-course meal on Christmas Day at Dominicus Church in downtown Amsterdam.

When you see Dries on one of his many journeys on Route 66, he is the guy with the Route 66 tattoos from every state displayed on the length of his arm.

Japanes Talent on 66

An accomplished photographer and musician, Yasuhiko Otami, from Japan, visits Route 66 annually. The non-commercial photo calendars that he creates are a year-round documentary of his vision of Route 66 and the Southwest. Our thanks to Yasuhiko for the 2014 work of art that he sent us.

Yasuhiko was way ahead of his time in creating music videos. For the video that he uploaded back in 2008, he gathered friends from all over the world to make his song complete. Check out his link:

Good news for barbecue fans. Our friend Roger Naylor wrote a story for the winter issue of Route 66 Magazine about the great barbecue joints on the Mother Road in Arizona. As Roger says, “Arizona doesn’t have a long barbecue tradition so they’re not afraid to tinker, putting their own spin on the beloved institution. It’s the beginning of new era of barbecue. What better reason to plan a road trip?”

And while you’re on the road, pick up copies of Roger’s books, Arizona Kicks on Route 66 and Death Valley: Hottest Place on Earth.

New Year Origins

In 46 B.C. Julius Caesar introduced the Julian Calendar,
which closely resembles the more modern Gregorian calendar that most countries around the world use today.

As part of his reform, Caesar established January 1 as the first day of the year, partly to honor the month’s namesake, Janus, the Roman god of beginnings.

Thanks to our Italian artist friend, Denni Neri (pictured with us on the right) who sent us an image from his August trip on Route 66 (shown below). After art school, Denni attended the Academy of Fine Arts in Bologna. We appreciate Denni for sharing his special talent with us.

Between 1889-1891, Seligman was established by the Theut and Moultrie families. Both were prosperous slaughterhouse owners in

Southern antebellum families who lost everything in the Civil War and the following Reconstruction periods.

These two families moved West hoping to find a new life in the largely uninhabited territory of Arizona. They took over the area of the Seligman Campsite from the Apache. Before the Apache, that the location had been a settlement of the Havasupai people.

A Legend on 66

Bob Waldmire (April 19, 1945–December 16, 2009) was an American artist who is well known for his artwork of U.S. Route 66. One of Waldmire’s modified vehicles, an orange 1972 Volkswagen Microbus, was the inspiration for the character “Fillmore” from the animated motion picture Cars. His family has kept the spirit of Bob alive with the archiving of his artwork and life.

Pictured on the right is a tribute to Bob that was painted on the side of one of his follower's vehicles.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

“All our dreams can come true -
if we have the courage to pursue them.” Walt Disney

Pictured are Andreas and Sabine from Germany. On the right is a photo of their Western Grill at the Christmas market in Bad Salzuflen, Germany. They are planning an "anniversay ride" on Route 66 in 2014.

“Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world, but the Marines don't have that problem.”

― Ronald Reagan

Route 66 Festival

224 Days and Counting

News from 2014 Route 66 International Festival

A news release provided by Jim Hinckley provides us with the following information - "The Historic Electric Vehicle Foundation Board of Directors voted unanimously to not only attend (Route 66 Festival), but to support the concept of using Route 66 as the core of America’s First National Electric Highway. According to

Roderick Wilde, Executive Director of HEVF, it was the
theme that got their attention, “Crossroads of the Past and Future” but it was the conferences and exhibits that clinched the deal."

Make plans for August 14 - 16, 2014 in Kingman, Arizona for this annual Route 66 event.

The photo on the right is from Erik de Beer from Holland, taken while travelling on Route 66. According to Erik, "In Holland my last name Beer means Bear in English. The word Beer in English means bier in Dutch."

Route 66 Arizona France is a representative member for Europe of the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona. It was founded in 2006 as a non-profit Association by Robert Mauries who is a strong protector of the US heritage.

In Robert's words, "The target of the Association is to promote, to develop, to protect and to transmit everything which is a part of The Old US ROUTE 66 Spirit. Architecture, archives, collectors, musics, painting, pictures, cars, cultural events, but also and before all, the The Old US ROUTE 66 Spirit since its origin in 1926."

We know that Robert will again be here in May for the annual Route 66 Fun Run.

Pictured on the right is French actor Gerard Klein. Gerard sent us a message to let us know about his dream Route 66 car, a 1967 fuel- injected Peugeot Cabriolet. We were unable to open the photos, however we hope to include the photos he sent to us
at a later date.

Classic Cars

Route 66 is a magnet for classic cars. The recent Barrett-Jackson Automobile Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona auctioned off over 1,400 classic cars. The week-long show is quite a spectacular display of some real dream machines. Here is a glimpse of a few of these beauties and scenes from the auction:

"In 1863, Arizona was split off from the Territory of New Mexico to form the Arizona Territory. The remoteness of the region was eased by the arrival of railroads in 1880. Arizona became a state in 1912 but was primarily rural with an economy based on cattle, cotton, citrus and copper." (wikipedia)

Arizona has the longest stretch of Route 66 still in existence.

Bill Riley - A Route 66 Legend

A magnet for photos in Seligman is the Rusty Bolt with its mannequins adorning the building and the Edsel car with Elvis and Marilyn Monroe on the street in front of the store. The creator of this quirky establishment, Bill Riley, died in January. Bill could usually be seen riding his bright purple trike while
wearing a coonskin cap.

According to Peggy from the BTW (Brothers of the Third Wheel), "Seligman lost a true supporter of the town, Route 66, and a rider of the road. He really loved the town and was a very strong supporter of our group. He used to go on the rides with us and join in some of the festivities during our runs. I know he would love riding that purple trike of his. You could see it in his face! A very unique person. We will miss him."

Bill was the person who brought the 2 and 3 wheelers to Seligman. We salute the Navy veteran who started adding some color
to this historic Route 66 town.

On the right is Giorgio with his Vespa scooter. Since his visit to Seligman and Route 66, Giorgio has been traveling around the world on this scooter, "The General Lee", and has written several books about his journeys. His latest report had him in Chile - looking for adventure.

Four Wheels Move the Body. Two wheels Move the Soul. -Kappamoto

Route 66 Germany

Founded in 2010, "Route 66 Germany" continues to grow and support Route 66. Every year they contribute directly to Route 66 institutions in the U.S.A. According to their mission statement, they are a "meeting place for all friends and interested parties about Route 66. They are NOT a motorcycle club."

Irish Coffee was conceived after a group of American passengers disembarked from a Pan Am Flying Boat (Boeing 314 Clipper) on a miserable winter evening in the 1940's in Ireland. Whiskey was added to the coffee to warm up the passengers. When the passengers asked if they were being served Brazilian coffee,

they were told it was "Irish Coffee".

(Wikipedia)

The happy couple pictured on the right were not drinking Irish coffee; however, they were celebrating life.

The Marines I have seen around the world have the cleanest bodies, the filthiest minds, the highest morale, and the lowest morals of any group of animals I have ever seen.
Thank God for the United States Marine Corps.

Eleanor Roosevelt, First Lady of the United States, 1945

Route 66 Festival

196 Days and Counting

News from 2014 Route 66 International Festival

Attention - Route 66 authors, artists, and collectors, as well as Native American and western artists - "The Route 66 festival wants to include an exhibition at the festival for authors, artists and collectors."

Also being planned for this event is a film festival. The Route 66 Festival is looking for independent film makers interested in showcasing their work.

Picture on the right is "The Road Crew - America's Route 66 Band. We look forward to seeing them at the Festival.

If you’re interested in history—and it’s safe to say most Route 66 travelers are—you’ll enjoy a series I’m writing for the Arizona Republic called Vanishing Arizona. Here’s a link to my latest story on dude ranches: Dude Ranches.

The Brothers of the Third Wheel (BTW) are getting ready for their 19th annual Bike Run in Seligman. This energetic group will be in Seligman from May 23rd to May 26th this year. They can be seen riding throughout town during their entire weekend stay. There is no registration fee.

We always look forward to their annual arrival in May.

Czech Route 66 Association

The Czech Route 66 Association recently celebrated its 7th Congress on February 15th, 2014 in the Czech Republic town of Boskovice. The achievement award for the promotion of Route 66 was presented to Zdenek Jurasic for his Route 66 themed restaurant which promotes Route 66. The evening festivities included Mexican Mariachi music.

Pictured on the right are our Czech Republic friends on one
of their 2013 visits.

Watch the Czech trailer for their new feature film production to be filmed on Route 66 in 2014.

Trivia - Roy Rogers' sidekick, Pat Brady, had a 1946 CJ2 Jeep named Nellybelle. The comical sidekick was Roy's companion on his weekly series which ran for over 100 episodes. Pat could often be heard yelling "Whoa Nelly" as he was driving his Jeep
on scene with reckless abandon.

"In 1863, Arizona was split off from the Territory of New Mexico to form the Arizona Territory. The remoteness of the region was eased by the arrival of railroads in 1880. Arizona became a state in 1912 but was primarily rural with an economy based on cattle, cotton, citrus and copper." (Wikipedia)

Arizona has the longest stretch of Route 66 still in existence.

Singing the Blues

Paul J. Miles

Need a quick burst of energy? Listen to Paul J. Miles and you will be smiling and re-energized. We met Paul at the Barrett Jackson Car show in February. Paul is an award-winning Blues
singer whose music stirs the soul. Paul Miles singing Route 66

Franek - JazdaTrasą66 (Riding Route 66)

Franek from Warsaw, Poland rides Route 66 every year. Fortunately, Franek, a photographer and film expert,

Paul Goodwin from Belper, United Kingdom fulfilled a longtime ambition - to travel Route 66. Paul traveled extensively in the United States a few years ago after he decided that traveling in the States from Chicago to Santa Monica would be a memorable experience. Paul has documented his trip in an interesting video, "Route 66 Chicago to Los Angeles in 6 minutes".
Paul's next dream tour is to do the same trip in reverse
(West to East) on Route 66.

If you know our friend Roger Naylor you know he likes to eat. So naturally he conducted plenty of "research" while writing a story on some of Arizona's best diners and cafes. It should come as no surprise that several are found along Route 66, including Seligman's own Snow Cap Drive-In.

Originally Seligman was called Prescott Junction because it was the railroad stop on the mainline. From Seligman there was a feeder line running to Prescott. The feeder line from Prescott Junction was later replaced by a line running from
Ashfork to Prescott.

JAPAN

What is the first thing a retired English teacher does after 38 years of teaching English in Japan? He takes a 13-day trip to the United States to tour the Southwest and also Route 66.

Tory from Nagoya, Japan is pictured on the left with his friend and neighbor in Japan, Sange. After 38 years talking about the United States, Tory was able to see his dream of visiting the States come true. In retirement he will be working on his family rice farm.

2014 Fun Run - May 2nd - 4th

Every year, the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona invites you to participate in the "Annual Route 66 Fun Run." First held in 1988, the Fun Run has attracted people from all over the U.S. and many foreign countries.

The three-day event, held the first weekend of May, begins in Seligman and travels 140 miles to Topock/Golden
Shores. The event is open to all street legal vehicles,
buses, bikes, RV's or roadsters.

Brazil

Our first Police Escort out of Seligman was with Brazilians.

Riding in convertibles, the 10 members of the Sao Paulo motorcycle group enthusiastically participated in true Brazillian fashion. Their liveliness was enjoyed by all. Although we did

not understand Portuguese, we did understand their smiles.

Polska

From Poznan, Poland, these two cousins were exchange students in Monterrey and Guadelajara, Mexico. They met their mothers in LA. and are touring the Southwest. The two families (pictured on the right with Lynne) presented a shirt from Poland which is now hanging in our store and a part of Route 66 history.

Argentina

Evelyn and Patriciofrom Lomas De Zamora, Argentina were on their second visit to the United States. After a brief stay in Las Vegas, they headed out to tourRoute 66 and the Grand Canyon. After their Southwest visit, they will spend 15 days in Miami.

We appreciate them spending some time with us and

giving us insight into their country.

Grand Canyon CavernsRadiator Springs Gas Station and "ZOOMIE"

A new addition to the Grand Canyon Caverns is "ZOOMIE". New for 2014, Zoomie is the Cavern's largest dinasour measuring 19 feet tall and 41 feet long.

Less than 20 minutes from Seligman, the Grand Canyon Caverns is a good alternative for rooms during events like the 2014 Fun Run when the local motels are full in Seligman.

Let's Be Careful Out There

April 1st - April Fool's Day

Let us be thankful for the fools. But for them the rest of us could not succeed. Mark Twain

Billy Bob Bob and Ashley, pictured on the right. Below is a link to their 45 seconds of fame.

May 1st, 2014 - Clear with a high of 73 degrees F (23C) and a low of 42 degrees F (5C).

May 11th - Happy Mother's Day

Memorial Day - May 26th

Join us on Monday, May 26th to honor our Military Heros.

Links for Face Book and Twitter:

Coffee Facts

Unlike the hip 20-something Baristas in the US, in Italy the average Barista age is 48, and it is a very respected profession.

Pictured are Jacques, Denis and Jacques from Michellean, France. They are getting refueled with espresso and are half way through their 14-day U.S. trip. They visited last year and will bring their families again

We are anticipating America's Route 66 Band, THE ROAD CREW to be a featured attraction at the 2014 Route 66 Festival.

In their own words :

"We are dedicated to the preservation of the most famous highway in the world...Route 66! The Road Crew takes Route 66 to their audiences throughout the world. We spread the history and stories of Route 66 to every generation through our 'Songs From The
Mother Road.' We encourage our audiences to discover

The car pictured on the right belongs to Ron Jones, aka "Tattoo Man". Ron and his wife were passing through Seligman on their first trip since the Chevy's restoration on the famous TV
car show, "Classic Cars".

Exploring Route 66

David Bowyer

David Bowyer started visiting Seligman last year with a goal. That goal was to produce a film documentary about locations and attractions that have made Route 66 a world famous destination. We saw David in action at various times throughout the past year with photography equipment ready for first light, documenting his story as he passed through Seligman on his Route 66 travels.

With added still photos from long time friend and associate, Larry Lindahl, David was able to capture "Main Street America" in his 65 minute video, "Exploring Route 66 The Mother Road".

According to Larry, "The work David put into this film shows in the rich variety of interviews, history, and beautiful scenery. What a great tribute to Route 66!"

This is an informative video with original music and a well- produced story line.

The building housing the Historic Seligman Sundries has been a part of the Seligman landscape since 1904.

Happy Birthday

Bob Nanney planned the perfect way to celebrate his 80th Birthday. He launched out on a 21-day rafting trip from Lee's Ferry on the Colorado River. Sleeping under the stars, the retired teacher described the trip as "long peaceful stretches
interspersed with 15 seconds of terror".
Bob and his wife were on their way back to their summer
home in California when they stopped in Seligman.

What are you planning to do on your 80th Birthday?

Willy's

A magnet that drew David Eilers to stop in Seligman was our
1946 Jeep Wagon. David is the curator of ewillys.com, a website dedicated to everything you wanted to know about vintage Willy's Jeeps. David seems to have a knack for finding vehicles in remote locations. He is a good source for Jeep deals, jeep history
and other jeep-related information.

2014 Fun Run - May 2nd - 4th

We look forward to visiting with everyone at this year's 2014 Fun Run. It's the annual event when really nice people with classic cars and trucks, vintage trailers, and more come together to have fun, just like the event's name says.

After various attractions and planned events on Friday, the action begins at 10:00am on Saturday with the long parade of vehicles departing Seligman. It's an awesome a sight that we
look forward to witnessing every year.

Brothers of the Third WheelMemorial Day weekend

Contact us for schedule.

A Woman by DesignTo be featured in June newsletterA Living History of Mary Colter, Architect of the Southwest.

A one-woman play by a local Seligman resident actor that will be presented at La Posada in Winslow, Arizona and also the Grand Canyon in June.

Details in next month's newsletter.

Italian

Crazy Guy on a Bike

Heinz Mariner is a self-proclaimed "Crazy Guy on a Bike". On his recent trip which included Route 66, 76-year old Heinz was using his 3 months' stay in the U.S. to bicycle from Miami Beach to San Francisco. The Italian from Stadtgasse, Italy also told us about his trip through IndoChina last year.

An American Hero

An American Hero from Navy Seal Team 6 - Michael Strange (1986-2011). Michael was one of the 30 American Service members killed in action on August 6th, 2011. In his memory, his father, Charles, gave us a Seal Team 6 shirt. We have proudly displayed his shirt in memory of Michael and the silent heroes killed that day. The shirt is now on display by the American flag and the
Pat Tillman jersey in our store.

Belarus

It is always interesting to hear about Route 66 travellers and where they are from. An example is this young couple on their first trip on Route 66 from Belarus. The second most interesting fact is what they do in their home country. How about a sushi
takeout http://sushivesla.by business in Belarus and
a makeup artist teaching career?

After exchanging stories about their experiences on Route 66,
they were proudly displaying their Route 66 memorabilia.

3,000 Miles

Michael and Julie Pearson made a brief stop in Seligman on their 3,000 mile journey from California to New York, "A Walk

for the Homeless".

For more information about their story,

go to their Face Book page:

https://www.facebook.com/Walk3000MilesInTheirShoes

Let's Be Careful Out There

“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” Oscar Wilde

Warsaw, Poland is now on our signpost display. Thanks to
Andzej Andrew Biadasiewicz from Bytom, Poland for prompting us to make a sign for Warsaw, the capital of Poland.